Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [234]
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INFORMATION
Bookstores
Every shopping mall in San Diego has at least one bookshop, usually of the large, chain variety. Bookhounds should peruse the offerings of bookstores on Fifth Ave between University and Robinson Aves in Hillcrest.
Le Travel Store (Map; 619-544-0005; 745 4th Ave) has an excellent selection of maps, travel guides and accessories. Helpful staff.
Internet Access
All public libraries provide free internet access; no library card is required. You can make reservations one day in advance by calling the main library Click here. There are also 15-minute express terminals available if you don’t have a reservation. You can also pay to log on at Kinko’s copy stores throughout the city – check a telephone directory for the nearest location – or try the coffeehouses Click here.
Internet Resources
Access San Diego (www.accessandiego.com) Excellent source for barrier-free travel around San Diego.
Gaslamp.org (www.gaslamp.org) Everything you need to know about the bustling Gaslamp District, including parking secrets.
San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.sandiego.org) Search hotels, sights, dining, rental cars and more, and make reservations.
Sandiego.com (www.sandiego.com) Comprehensive ad-based portal to all things San Diegan, from fun stuff to serious business.
Left Luggage
Greyhound Station (Map; 619-515-1100; 120 W Broadway) has lockers for $6 to $8 per day, and a storage counter for $8 per bag per day.
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SAN DIEGO IN TWO DAYS
If your time is limited, here’s a whirlwind itinerary of the essential San Diego. Things will go more smoothly if you’ve got access to a car, but public transportation can work if you plan ahead.
Day 1
Start off with breakfast and espresso at an outdoor café on Little Italy’s India Street then take a walk past the Victorian mansions of Bankers Hill on your way to Balboa Park. Pick a museum or two that interest you, and have lunch at one of the cafés or restaurants, detouring to the gardens along the way. Devote the afternoon to the San Diego Zoo, which is among the world’s best. For dinner and – if you’re up for it – a night out on town, head to the Gaslamp Quarter ; many restaurants have terrace seating for people-watching, and the partying ranges from posh to raucous.
Day 2
Take the ferry to Coronado for a sea-view breakfast at the Hotel del Coronado, before a drive up to La Jolla. Explore Torrey Pines State Reserve, Birch Aquarium or edgy Black’s Beach, kayak the sea caves, try a glider ride or head to La Jolla Village to browse the 1920s Spanish-revival landmarks, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego or boutiques along Girard Ave – you’ll have plenty of choice for lunch or a snack. As the sun begins its descent over the ocean, head to Del Mar, where you can cheer or snuggle from one of the cafés on the roof of Del Mar Plaza as the sky turns brilliant orange and fades to black.
If you have Days 3 and 4, include SeaWorld and a visit to Julian, the San Diego Wild Animal Park or Tijuana.
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Libraries
Main library (Map; 619-236-5800; www.sannet.gov/public-library; 820 E St; noon-8pm Mon & Wed, 9:30am-5:30pm Tue & Thu-Sat, 1-5pm Sun; wi-fi) About two blocks east of the Gaslamp Quarter. There are smaller branch libraries.
Media
Gay & Lesbian Times (www.gaylesbiantimes.com) Free weekly.
KPBS 89.5 FM (www.kpbs.org) National public radio station.
San Diego Magazine (www.sandiegomagazine.com) Glossy monthly.
San Diego Union-Tribune (www.signonsandiego.com) The city’s major daily.
The following free weekly tabloid-sized listings magazines cover the active music, art and theater scenes. Find them in shops and cafés:
Citybeat (www.sdcitybeat.com)
San Diego Reader (www.sdreader.com)